Patna: Administration asks Pappu Yadav to maintain peace

Pappu Yadav singing during house arrest by police before took out a procession in Patna on Tuesday

PATNA: Jan Adhikar Party patron and former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav on Tuesday said he had been put under house arrest by the Patna district administration in order to prevent him from taking part in protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). However, City SP (Central) Vinay Tiwary said Yadav had not been put under house arrest. “He had been served notice by the SDM under Section 107 of CrPC to maintain peace. This is a preventive measure to maintain law and order,” Tiwary said, adding that police were keeping a close vigil on the activities of those trying to create disturbances during proposed bandh in the state. Yadav, a former MP from Madhepura, said he had been served a notice by the district administration asking him not to move out and remain indoors. “You can move out of your residence only after seeking permission from the authorities concerned,” Yadav quoted one of the police officers as saying. He said armed forces from three police stations and a magistrate were deployed outside his residence at Chhajjubagh in the state capital. “I have been put under house arrest as the administration apprehends that I may create disturbances during the proposed bandh in protest against the CCA and the NRC,” Yadav said and added: “But I am not afraid of the notice served on me. This action against me is an attack on the democratic set up of the country. People are now watching everything and they will give a befitting reply at an appropriate time. They can’t suppress my fight for people and also for the ‘daughter’ of Muzaffarpur, who was set ablaze after resisting molestation bid.” Meanwhile, the state police headquarters has issued directives to all the SPs to be more cautious and take all precautionary measures to maintain law and order under their jurisdiction. “The troublemakers will not be spared. Nobody will be allowed to take law into their hands,” ADGP (HQ) Jitendra Kumar said. The ADGP said the recent protests in the state capital and in some other parts of the state were under the police scanner. In Patna, violence erupted during protest and hooligans ransacked the police outpost, set it on fire and damaged both government and private property. He, however, denied that the police headquarters has received any advisory from the Union home ministry in the wake of proposed bandh and protests against CAA and NRC in the state.